Utah Jazz fall apart quickly in season-opening loss to Lakers

Steve Griffin | The Salt Lake Tribune
Utah's Derrick Favors looks for help during first half action in the Jazz Lakers game at Steve Griffin | The Salt Lake Tribune
Utah's Al Jefferson blocks Pau Gasol's shot during first half action in the Jazz Lakers gSteve Griffin | The Salt Lake Tribune
Utah's All Jefferson drives past Pau Gasol during first half action in the Jazz Lakers gaSteve Griffin | The Salt Lake Tribune
Utah's Raja Bell guards Kobe Bryant, of the Lakers, during first half action in the Jazz Steve Griffin | The Salt Lake Tribune
Utah's Gordon Hayward spins around Devin Ebanks, of the Lakers, during first half actionSteve Griffin | The Salt Lake Tribune
The Utah Jazz starters take the floor following a time out during first half action in thSteve Griffin | The Salt Lake Tribune
Utah's Paul Millsap crashes into Pau Gasol as he drives to the basket during first half aSteve Griffin | The Salt Lake Tribune
Utah's Earl Watson drives the baseline during first half action in the Jazz Lakers game aSteve Griffin | The Salt Lake Tribune
Utah's Devin Harris passes into the post during first half action in the Jazz Lakers gameSteve Griffin | The Salt Lake Tribune
Utah's Al Jefferson and Gordon Hayward team up to block the shot of Kobe Bryant, of the LSteve Griffin | The Salt Lake Tribune
Utah's Raja Bell guards Kobe Bryant, of the Lakers, during second half action in the JazzSteve Griffin | The Salt Lake Tribune
The Jazz bench can only watch as the Lakers open up a big lead during second half action Steve Griffin | The Salt Lake Tribune
Utah's Raja Bell tries to get around Pau Gasol during second half action in the Jazz LakeSteve Griffin | The Salt Lake Tribune
Kobe Bryant lead the Lakers to a victory over the Utah Jazz at the Staples Center in in Steve Griffin | The Salt Lake Tribune
Utah's Devin Harris puts his arm around teammate Earl Watson after Watson came out of the

Steve Griffin | The Salt Lake Tribune
Utah's Derrick Favors looks for help during first half action in the Jazz Lakers game at the Staples Center in in Los Angeles, CA Tuesday, December 27, 2011.Steve Griffin | The Salt Lake Tribune
Utah's Al Jefferson blocks Pau Gasol's shot during first half action in the Jazz Lakers game at the Staples Center in in Los Angeles, CA Tuesday, December 27, 2011.Steve Griffin | The Salt Lake Tribune
Utah's All Jefferson drives past Pau Gasol during first half action in the Jazz Lakers game at the Staples Center in in Los Angeles, CA Tuesday, December 27, 2011.Steve Griffin | The Salt Lake Tribune
Utah's Raja Bell guards Kobe Bryant, of the Lakers, during first half action in the Jazz Lakers game at the Staples Center in in Los Angeles, CA Tuesday, December 27, 2011.Steve Griffin | The Salt Lake Tribune
Utah's Gordon Hayward spins around Devin Ebanks, of the Lakers, during first half action in the Jazz Lakers game at the Staples Center in in Los Angeles, CA Tuesday, December 27, 2011.Steve Griffin | The Salt Lake Tribune
The Utah Jazz starters take the floor following a time out during first half action in the Jazz Lakers game at the Staples Center in in Los Angeles, CA Tuesday, December 27, 2011.Steve Griffin | The Salt Lake Tribune
Utah's Paul Millsap crashes into Pau Gasol as he drives to the basket during first half action in the Jazz Lakers game at the Staples Center in in Los Angeles, CA Tuesday, December 27, 2011.Steve Griffin | The Salt Lake Tribune
Utah's Earl Watson drives the baseline during first half action in the Jazz Lakers game at the Staples Center in in Los Angeles, CA Tuesday, December 27, 2011.Steve Griffin | The Salt Lake Tribune
Utah's Devin Harris passes into the post during first half action in the Jazz Lakers game at the Staples Center in in Los Angeles, CA Tuesday, December 27, 2011.Steve Griffin | The Salt Lake Tribune
Utah's Al Jefferson and Gordon Hayward team up to block the shot of Kobe Bryant, of the Lakers, during first half action in the Jazz Lakers game at the Staples Center in in Los Angeles, CA Tuesday, December 27, 2011.Steve Griffin | The Salt Lake Tribune
Utah's Raja Bell guards Kobe Bryant, of the Lakers, during second half action in the Jazz Lakers game at the Staples Center in in Los Angeles, CA Tuesday, December 27, 2011.Steve Griffin | The Salt Lake Tribune
The Jazz bench can only watch as the Lakers open up a big lead during second half action in the Jazz Lakers game at the Staples Center in in Los Angeles, CA Wednesday, December 28, 2011.Steve Griffin | The Salt Lake Tribune
Utah's Raja Bell tries to get around Pau Gasol during second half action in the Jazz Lakers game at the Staples Center in in Los Angeles, CA Tuesday, December 27, 2011.Steve Griffin | The Salt Lake Tribune
Kobe Bryant lead the Lakers to a victory over the Utah Jazz at the Staples Center in in Los Angeles, CA Tuesday, December 27, 2011.Steve Griffin | The Salt Lake Tribune
Utah's Devin Harris puts his arm around teammate Earl Watson after Watson came out of the game late in second half action in the Jazz Lakers game at the Staples Center in in Los Angeles, CA Wednesday, December 28, 2011.

But after the lifeless Jazz were blown out 96-71 by the Los Angeles Lakers on Tuesday night at Staples Center, there was no getting around a single fact: Utah's 2011-12 debut was historically bad.

How bad?

The Jazz set a franchise-low for points scored during a season opener, according to the team's public relations staff, eclipsing a 37-year-old mark. The then-New Orleans Jazz lost 89-74 to New York on Oct. 17, 1974.

Utah (0-1) barely fought off two other inglorious franchise lows. The Jazz shot just 32.2 percent (29 of 90) from the field Tuesday, edging a 29.3 floor percentage that's an all-time worst. In addition, Utah's 25-point deficit was just one point better than a 26-point loss to Dallas on Oct. 31, 1986 that holds the record as the Jazz's biggest season-opening loss.

Corbin wasn't surprised his rebuilding team danced with futility after watching Utah miss a staggering variety of open looks. And as the clanking shots mounted, the Jazz's defense fell apart.

"The [Lakers] came out and they were the aggressor," Corbin said. "They ran the ball down the floor and got the ball where they wanted to and we didn't get the shots to fall in that we wanted to, so we pressed a little bit."

Utah appeared unfocused, unmotivated and unprepared just minutes into the fallout. Now, the Jazz have entered a lockout-shortened 66-game campaign staring at unforgiving NBA life from the bottom up.

"We just have to find some continuity, some rhythm, where everybody knows what everybody likes to do," Utah forward C.J. Miles said. "I don't think we've gotten to that point where everybody knows where everybody likes to be."

Down by 29 during the fourth quarter, Utah watched early-game miscommunication turn into in-game yells, and the faces of everyone from Raja Bell to Gordon Hayward tightened.

Bell gathered the Jazz's other four starters together during an extended timeout, raising his voice and attempting to motivate his teammates.

But the Lakers (2-1) nullified the chatter with action, continuing to roll and turning a 25-8 run to start the third quarter into a total rout.

By the start of the fourth, Jefferson sat on the bench. The Jazz's leading average scorer and rebounder last season had his right knee heavily wrapped, his face was in his hands and he was 2 of 16 from the field.

Nothing was working for Utah, and the Jazz were left to watch a near frame-by-frame reply of the worst moments from a bitter 2010-11 campaign.

Jefferson said the "basketball Gods" weren't on his side Tuesday, adding he was already past the loss by the time Utah's locker room opened to the media. But after the Jazz struggled through exhibition play and entered the regular season searching for everything from a true No. 1 player to a team identity, he acknowledged the blowout to the Lakers was a wake-up call.

"No need to panic," he said. "We know what we got to do. … We just had to be better than what we was. It's a wake-up call, but it's not the end of the world."

Paul Millsap came off the bench to lead Utah with a team-high 18 points, while Josh Howard added 10. Rookie center Enes Kanter recorded 11 rebounds.